Progress on Timberline

Gregory Manchess

Wednesday, May 25th, 2016

Greg Manchess

I thought I’d share some progress shots of my novel, Above the Timberline! It will also get a title change and I’ll share that soon, too.

At this stage, I’m about 53 paintings in, 67 to go. I slowed down in April and part of May because of some personal commitments, but I’ve jumped back in by getting more models shot and planning some of the major scenes.

Main character, Wesley Singleton, takes aim across the frozen Waste

I recently met with my editor, Joe Monti, at Saga Press/Simon and Schuster and my designer, Michael McCartney. Seeing a board room full of finished paintings laying on the table, chairs, shelves, and ultimately, the floor was pretty exciting for all of us who’ve been talking about this book for a number of years now.

For now, I’ll show a selection of closeup shots of heads that are accented moments in the manuscript, but not enough to give the story away. Each painting is 37″ x 15″ in a wide, cinematic format. CinemaScope!

Back to the board. End of August deadline.

Wes on the wireless…my model is Cassius O’Brien, son of illustrator, Tim O’Brien…

Creating a moment that communicates emotionally with the viewer is the essence of Gregory Manchess’ artwork. A native of Kentucky, he spent two years as a studio illustrator with Hellman Design Associates before striking out on his own in 1979.
He combined his love for fine art and science fiction and began his freelance career painting for OMNI magazine. His versatility and broad range of interests allowed him to crossover to mainstream illustration. There he was able to expand his client work to include covers for Time, Atlantic Monthly, spreads for Playboy, Omni, Newsweek, and Smithsonian, and numerous book covers.
Manchess’ interest in history and his excellent figure work has made his paintings a favorite choice of the National Geographic Society on many occasions, including an expedition down the Fond du Lac river in Canada for the 1996 article David Thomson: The Man Who Measured Canada.
Widely awarded within the industry, Manchess exhibits frequently at the Society of Illustrators in New York. His peers at the Society presented him with their highest honor, the coveted Hamilton King Award in 1999, and a year later, the Stephan Dohanos Award.
Manchess’ work has also been recognized in the children’s book market. His latest children’s book illustrations narrate the story Cheyenne Medicine Hat about wild mustangs. A lavishly illustrated limited edition of Robt. E. Howard CONAN stories with over 60 paintings, is due out in 2010. He has recently finished 10 murals for a traveling exhibition on the Pirate ship, Whydah, for the Nat’l Geographic Society. His painting of the Oregon coast was used for the 2009 Oregon Statehood Stamp by the USPS.
Gregory is included in Walt Reed’s latest edition of “The Illustrator in America, 1860-2000.” He lectures frequently at universities and colleges nationwide and gives workshops in painting at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA, and the Illustration Master Class in Amherst, MA.

Actually, I've already planned to bring some finished pieces, and work on a couple others while there. It will be hard to lose a week of working on the novel, so I hope I can accomplish finishing at least one during the evening sessions….

That painting of Cassius is so great ( Wes holding the wireless.)I think it was smart to change the title “Above the Timobrien” just sounded a little wishful on Cassius's part.I am so honored to be able to help you with models on this massive project.You are pushing the boundaries of what illustrators will undertake in the future.